The Kind Hero I Wanted to Be
by A.Lucretia
Summary: Gibbs and the team investigate a mysterious corpse and a missing officer. Meanwhile, Gibbs and Abby deal with the feelings that came out in my last fic, "Love or Chains and Things We Can't Untie." All 4 chapters now up!
1. Chapter 1

**The Kind of Hero I Wanted to Be Chapter I**

"Very interesting indeed." Dr. Mallard pushed his chair back from his desk and turned to Agent Gibbs. "As you can see from my report, the remains you exhumed are not those of Seaman Rollins, despite what the grave marker might say."  
"Then whose remains are they, Ducky?" Gibbs asked, eyebrows raised.  
"That _remains_ to be seen." the doctor gestured upwards, "I'm sure our Abigail will have them identified in two shakes of a lambs tail."  
Gibbs spun around and strode toward the elevator until he remembered; then he stopped short.  
"Something wrong, Jethro?" asked Ducky.  
"No. Nothing." Gibbs resumed walking toward the elevator, this time a bit more thoughtfully. He had been avoiding Abby's lab for a while now...ever since their kidnapping a few weeks ago. He and Abby had been abducted from his house at gunpoint by a group of criminals hoping to free one of their comrades. Before what they thought was their impending death, Abby and Gibbs shared a kiss. Of course, Gibbs' team had rescued them in time and Gibbs had tried to forget about the kiss since then. To be honest, he felt a little guilty for taking advantage of Abby at a time like that. For years he had been pushing his romantic feelings for the forensic scientist aside- both because she was a co-worker ("never date a coworker" was rule #12) and several years his junior. Being in such close quarters while emotions were high, he had let his guard down, and let himself hope that she might reciprocate those feelings. _Nonsense._ he thought, shaking his head as the elevators doors closed and he began his ascent to Abby's lab.

Abby tapped her foot impatiently as image after image flashed on her computer screen. She couldn't make a DNA match, so she was running the dental records- or what was left of them- to find a match. The team was investigating the murder of a Naval petty officer that appeared to be tied to a chain of weapons thefts. A partial fingerprint at the scene of the murder appeared to belong to a Seaman Edwin Rollins, but Rollins had died four years ago in a house fire... or so they thought. After exhuming the charred remains, Ducky was able to conclusively determine they didn't belong to Rollins. So whose were they? And why? Abby frowned into the computer screen. A shiver shot up her back and she turned to see Gibbs standing in the doorway.  
"Got anything, Abby?" he asked, stepping up alongside her, in front of the computer.  
"Nothing yet." she smiled hopefully into his face but he avoided eye contact. "I can tell you that these remains are older than 4 years." As she leaned across Gibbs to grab a computer printout, her shoulder touched his and he subtly moved back.

Subtle, but not subtle enough. Abby had been extremely sensitive of her boss's movements around her since their kiss – and she was already pretty sensitive, especially when it came to Gibbs. The two seemed to have a connection and sometimes she swore she could tell what he was thinking. But maybe not... after all, she'd thought for a moment he was in love with her, but she'd obviously been wrong. Ever since their kiss, he seemed to be avoiding her, and frankly, she was annoyed. Gibbs had been a close friend and confidant – she had opened herself up to him at what may have been her most vulnerable moment, and now he was just pretending that day never happened. He was avoiding all her attempts at conversations (more than normal – it's not like Gibbs was ever the most forthcoming conversationalist) and even eye contact; friendly pecks on the cheek were replaced by curt nods.  
She cleared her throat and continued, "this man has been dead over 30 years. I'm running the dental records but it doesn't look good. It could be anyone." She flipped through the documents in front of her. "I can tell you the remains were burnt in the fire at Rollin's house, but where they were before then..." she shrugged.  
Gibbs was already halfway out the door, "keep looking." he said over his shoulder.  
Abby didn't turn to watch him leave.

Agent Ziva David kicked the caster on the bottom of her chair. It hadn't been rolling right since Tony's little stunt. She bit her lip as she glanced at his desk across from hers. She'd been wracking her brain to think of a way to pay him back... _it will come_ she thought. Just then Tony and McGee walked back in and sat down at their desks. "What did you find out?" she asked them.  
"Nada." said Tony. "From what we can tell, the petty officer was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. She interrupted our thief-"  
"or thieves" interjected McGee.  
"And they killed her for it." Gibbs returned to his desk, coffee in hand. "We have another mystery. The remains interned in Seaman Rollins' grave were not his own."  
"He faked his own death"  
Gibbs shot McGee the look that meant "you think?" and continued, "Seaman Rollins either planted these remains in his house and burnt it down, or someone else did."  
"Rollins had no wife or kids," McGee said, bringing up the Seaman's information on the plasma screen. "And his parents are dead. One sibling, lives in Paradise Michigan."  
"Does this mean we get to go to Paradise, boss?" Tony asked.  
"It means I get to go to Paradise." Gibbs said as he stood and retrieved his weapon from his desk drawer. "Ziva, you're with me. Tony, I want you to follow up on the other weapons thefts. Find what they missed. McGee, you're working with Abby- I want to know who those remains belong to. We may have another murder." Gibbs and Ziva made their way to the elevator.  
"Paradise," Ziva said, "sounds nice- sunny, warm..."  
Gibbs chuckled. "I take it you've never been to northern Michigan."

-------------------

"We are in the center of nowhere." Ziva mused, as she and Gibbs drove past what had to be their hundreth mile of forest.  
"It's a beautiful state. Very peaceful." said Gibbs, cracking a smile at his agent's exasperation.  
"I prefer a less deciduous landscape." she stated decidedly. "Have you ever boated on one of these Great Lakes?"  
"Nope."  
"I wonder what is so great about them." their car emerged from the forest and headed toward the sparkling expanse of Lake Superior. Even Agent David had to admit to herself the breathtaking beauty of the lake. "Ah," she said, "I see."

Before long, they pulled up to the house of Seaman Rollins' sister. The old grey farmhouse sat atop a hill overlooking the bay. Gibbs knocked on the door but there was no answer. He and Ziva circled the house and ended up in a small barn closer to the lake. There was a woman in the barn, perched atop a wooden boat, hard at work with her back toward the open door.  
Gibbs was mesmerized by the boat; it looked to be antique but was impeccably restored and cared for. Probably made by hand, just like his.  
Gibbs held up his badge "Ms. Rollins? I'm Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS. This is Agent David." The woman turned and jumped down, standing face to face with Gibbs. It was only then that he realized the boat was not the most beautiful thing in that barn, nor the most graceful.  
"Alexandrea Rollins." she said, holding out her hand. Gibbs shook it, not taking his piercing blue eyes of her soft brown ones. "What can I do for you?"  
"It's Jethro."  
"Jethro..." she returned his crooked smile. "I'm Alexa."  
Finally Ziva broke the silence. "Ms. Rollins, we are investigating the death of your brother."  
"Ed? He's been dead for years."  
"Did you personally oversee the burial of his remains?" Gibbs asked.  
"No," she said, " He had requested to be buried down there. We held a memorial service here with family, and I've visited his grave a few times... what's going on?"  
"It's come to our attention that your brother isn't actually buried in his grave."  
"Who is?" she asked, clearly stunned.  
"We were hoping you could tell us."

* * *

"We're getting nowhere."  
"McGee, that's not the proper attitude!" but Abby had to admit, she was frustrated too. How did Gibbs expect them to ID a 30 year old body by partial dental records alone?  
McGee's phone rang, and soon he had a video conference set up with Ziva.  
"Have you found anything yet?' she asked.  
McGee shook his head, "not much. Tony's still pouring over the other files. You?"  
"Well, I do not believe that Ms. Rollins knew her brother was still alive. She seemed genuinely surprised to learn he was not buried in his grave."  
"Where's Gibbs?"  
"He is with Ms. Rollins." Ziva said, with a raise of her eyebrows.  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Abby was suddenly bit more interested.  
"Well. It is not my place to say. But Gibbs definitely seemed a bit more _interested_ in her than normal. They are having dinner," she paused, smiling. "I thought redheads were his type?"  
Abby self-consciously tugged at her pigail. "Why? Is she blonde?"  
"Brunette." said Ziva. "I do not know if she will be any help in determining whose body was in Seaman Rollins grave or where he is now, if he's still alive."  
Abby had stopped listening. _Is that how things stand?_ she thought. _He's just moved on to the next woman?_ What about their kiss? She walked into her office and grabbed her coat and bag.  
"Where are you going?" McGee met her at the door.  
"Home."  
"But Gibbs-"  
"It sounds like Gibbs isn't too worried about the case right now. Why should we be?" she stormed passed a bewildered McGee and into the elevator. She had to get out of there and into some fresh air. She'd never been jealous of who Gibbs spent time with before but now things were different, and she couldn't help but think she'd made a horrible mistake.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II**

The rain was coming down in sheets as Agent Gibbs and Alexa Rollins dashed from her house to the barn. She arrived a moment before him, breathless and smiling. He couldn't help but reach over and brush a wet strand of hair from her face. She welcomed the gesture, as her body language told him she would.  
Gibbs had to admit his motives for spending the evening with Alexa were twofold: She was the only living relative of a murder suspect who may have faked his own death four years ago. And she was also breathtakingly gorgeous. There was also another reason Gibbs decided to spend the evening with Alexa, and he was running his hands over it at that very moment.  
"She's been in the family for years, but I don't take her out as much as I'd like" she said as Gibbs admired the antique sail boat in front of him. "I'd love to see your skimmer sometime."  
"Yeah, it'll be finished eventually" he said with a smile.

She lead him to a couple chairs arranged around a mismatched coffee table and mini fridge in the corner of the barn.  
"Want some coffee, Jethro?" He nodded as she prepared the coffee maker. "I'll warn you" she said with a smile, "I like my coffee like I like my men." Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "...strong and serious." she finished, and he couldn't help but laugh.  
The two sat for a moment listening to the gurgling of the coffee maker and the rain echoing on the barn roof. Once the two held their warm mugs of black coffee, he spoke.  
"Did you and Edwin grow up here?"  
"Yeah" she said, "he moved out east after joining the Navy and never really came back. Me, I couldn't leave for very long. I miss the lake."  
"It certainly is very beautiful," he conceded.  
She continued, "We weren't very close, honestly. He was quite a few years younger than me, and I was away at college for his teenage years. I lived in the LP for a while, and then came back up here after mom died. Dad died a couple years ago, and now it's just me."  
Gibbs nodded and took a drink of her coffee. She was looking at him intently; she wanted to know more but was hesitant to ask. "We think your brother may have falsified his own death." he said.  
She shook her head, "I can't imagine why he'd do that. But like I said, we weren't close. He could have had a whole 'nother life I knew nothing about." She frowned into her coffee. "Why is all this coming up now?"  
"His prints were found at a murder scene last week."  
She glanced up sharply. "You don't think Ed killed someone?"  
Gibbs shrugged – a non-committal gesture designed to encourage the other person to keep talking, to reveal more. Alexa, however, had little else to say. She sighed and stood. "It stopped raining. Want to get a better look at the lake?" Gibbs nodded and followed her outside.

* * *

Abby Scuito sat on her bed, hugging Bert (the farting hippo) and trying not to imagine the worse. She'd brought Bert home with her when she left her lab and was glad she did – he always made her feel better. She felt a pang of regret for leaving McGee working alone, but she had to get out of there. Ziva said Gibbs was on a date with the suspect's sister – well, she didn't use the term "date" but that's obviously what was going on. If Ziva thought Gibbs was attracted to the woman, he probably was; Ziva had superior instincts.

Usually when Abby needed consoling she went one of two places: work or Gibbs. At the moment, however, those were the two things she needed consoling _from_. She sighed and fell backwards against the black and red pillows stacked behind her. _You're being silly, Abigail_ she thought. _Of course Gibbs is going to date other women. He's a single, eligible man. A single, eligible, attractive, sexy, delicious..._ she shook her head. She didn't always think this way.

Yes, there was always an undercurrent of attraction there, but usually she was able to suppress it. Recent events had brought it to the surface: she'd had a taste (literally- she could still taste his mouth when she closed her eyes) of what it was like to be with Gibbs and now she wasn't sure how – or if – she could go back to the way things used to be. Furthermore, she didn't want to. She had to face the facts: she wanted him _badly_ and ignoring it wasn't going to make it go away. Abby resigned herself to this and let herself cry the tears she'd been holding inside. _You ought to be ashamed of yourself, a great girl like you to go on crying in this way!_ she thought, mentally quoting one of her favorite childhood books: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. "We don't want to end up in a pool of tears like Alice." she said to Bert as she wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "Especially you. I don't think you're meant to be saturated..." she sat up, suddenly remembering something about the remains in her lab. She pulled on her boots and coat and set out once again, never quite able to escape from her job or the case at hand.

* * *

"Ed was always out in the water," Alexa said as she and Gibbs made their way down the beach, their path barely lit in the hazy peach light of dusk. "He loved shipwrecks- was even part of one of the expeditions to the Edmund Fitgerald in '84, went back there a couple times afterwards... I think that was one of his favorites." She smiled at the memory. "I hope you find him." She said, stopping and turning to face Gibbs, "I hope he wasn't involved in that murder. There's got to be an explanation for this."  
"I'm sure there is." Gibbs took her hand as they made their way up a rocky precipice and sat down. She did not let go of his hand. The air was calm but chilly, and he took both her hands in his to warm them.  
"Is that all you need to know about Ed?" she asked, and Gibbs nodded. "Good," she continued, "then the business part of tonight is over." He detected faint scent of lavender in her hair as she leaned toward him. Part of him worried that his attraction to Alexa was merely a way to distract himself from the twisted knot of feelings for Abby that had been churning through his body and mind the last few weeks. Another part of him reminded himself that Alexa was undeniably beautiful, smart, and attractive; plus she was much closer to his own age than Abby, and not a co-worker. The part that eventually won out, however, was the part that felt Alexa's soft skin in his hand, saw the passion in her brown eyes, and gave in to that primal human desire to be wanted, loved, and held.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter III**

It took Gibbs quite a while to be able to kiss another woman without thinking of Shannon, but he'd eventually been able to move on. That's why he was surprised that Abby's face kept pushing into his mind now, as he sat on the beach of Lake Superior embracing a beautiful woman. Abby had been the last person he'd kissed, but he'd all but determined that a relationship with Abby was never going to happen… hadn't he? And at this moment, Alexa's hands were caressing the back of his neck and her lips were closed over his. The electricity between them was undeniable, so why was it Abby's face he saw when he closed his eyes? Alexa pulled back and met his gaze, a tentative smile on her lips. He returned the smile and slid his hand down her back. "Let's go back to the house" he said, "It's getting chilly." She nodded.

The night was still and a near-full moon was peaking through the clouds that scattered the sky. The two walked across the beach in a companionable silence for sometime, until they reached the barn.  
"Let me go in and lock up," she said, giving his hand a squeeze. "It should only take a minute." He stood by the door of the barn as she went in and locked up her workshop- he of all people knew the importance of having one's work area in order. He was somewhat mesmerized by Alexa's graceful movements as she climbed up the hull and covered the antique sailboat with a canvas cover. As he helped her down, his hand slid under the back of her shirt- his calloused hands brushing the soft, warm skin of her lower back. Their eyes met and before long, her lips found his. For a moment, Gibbs could have sworn he smelled Abby's spicy sweet perfume, but he took a deep breath and centered himself on the present: Alexa's soft lips, her long dark hair spilling over her shoulders, and the smell of lavender. They were interrupted by the trill of his cell phone. He apologized as he glanced at the caller ID; it was Abby.  
"Sorry," he whispered and Alexa nodded and put some distance between them as he answered.  
"Yeah, Gibbs."  
"Gibbs. It's Abby."  
"Yeah Abby."  
"Um... I... didn't interrupt anything did I? I didn't wake you? Are you in bed? Sleeping? Or whatever. I mean, whatever you're doing in bed is none of my business of course. It's not like I... but were you-"  
"Abby. It's fine. What have you got? Did you ID the remains?"  
"No. Still haven't done that. But! Remember when I said I couldn't determine where the bones were before they were burned in the house fire? I lied. Well, I didn't _lie_. Like, I wasn't lying at the time… but it turns out, that was a lie." she paused to take a breath, and Gibbs waited patiently until she went on. "I do know where they were." She paused. "Would you like to know where?"  
"Yes..." Gibbs replied, smiling in spite of himself at the brilliant jumble of energy that Abby radiated, even over the phone.  
"Under water. Specifically, freshwater- not the ocean. It's possible this victim was drowned or dumped in a lake or river- even a sewer- before being moved to Seaman Rollins' house."  
"Good work Abs," Gibbs said.  
"Wait! Gibbs" Abby stopped him from closing his phone.  
"Yeah"  
"Are you coming back to me? I mean to us? Soon?"  
He smiled and took a deep breath. "Yeah Abs. Soon."

Abby smiled as she hung up the phone. McGee had already gone home for the night and she knew they'd both sleep better knowing they were able to give Gibbs some information on the remains found in Seaman Rollins' grave, even if it wasn't a positive identity. Her joy faded somewhat when she remembered that Gibbs had spent that evening with Rollins' sister, but she reminded herself that she had no idea what was going on. Besides, maybe now he and Ziva would leave Michigan and come back to DC.

* * *

"Good news?" Alexa asked as Gibbs hung up his phone.  
"Maybe," he said, turning to face her. "We might be a bit closer to determining whose remains were interned in your brother's grave." She nodded, and a somewhat awkward silence followed.  
"I should get going," he said, and he leaned over and kissed Alexa on the cheek.  
She squeezed his arm. "I'll walk you to your car."  
"When was the last time you saw your brother?" Gibbs asked as the two walked across the damp lawn toward the driveway.  
"The summer before he died." She said, and then quickly added "or before I _thought_ he died. That was the summer Dad finally passed."  
"And he didn't mention any disagreements or trouble?"  
"No. Ed seemed pretty normal at the time. Flew into Traverse City, rented a car and drove up here. He spent a few days for the funeral and so forth, and then said he had to get back to work."  
Gibbs nodded. They were standing by his car. Alexa gave him a soft kiss on the lips and said goodnight. "I'll be in touch" he said, as he got in his car.

It was nearly 0100 by the time he got back to the hotel. He decided to wait until morning to get Ziva's report- she was going to spend the evening interviewing the few people in Paradise who knew Ed Rollins. As he finally slipped under the generic hotel-bed covers, he again found Abby on his mind. He sighed. He was definitely attracted to Alexa- she was an intelligent, strong woman, and he had enjoyed kissing her that evening. Being with her was relaxing and comfortable – it made him almost forget about the tension and drama that often permeated his life as an NCIS agent. Yet when he tried to remember what Alexa's mouth tasted like, he could only taste Abby's; when he tried to remember what it felt like to run his hands through her long hair, his mind only recalled Abby's pigtails. It was confusing: he felt relieved that things hadn't gone further with Alexa that night, yet in a way, that's exactly what he wanted. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to clear his mind. He had to get some sleep.

* * *

Abby was dreaming.  
_Back in the freezer… but this time, not scared. Her hands on Gibbs' arms, his breath against her face as he imbued into her his quiet strength. Slowly, his lips connected with hers. She wasn't sure who made the first move, couldn't tell where the kiss began or ended. In a way, there was no beginning or end; it was as if they had always been in this embrace. She relaxed her head and neck as his mouth closed over hers, his tongue urgently exploring her mouth. She ran her hands down his back…_I know what happens next_ she thought, as their confined space was flooded with sunlight. But instead of seeing McGee standing above them, there was only a bright light. Gibbs caressed her cheek with one hand as he pushed himself up. He stood, climbed out, and shut the door, and Abby was again encapsulated in darkness._

Gibbs too was dreaming.  
_He is back in the freezer, with Abby. The small space is filled with her fear and uncertainty. But he is not scared; he is oddly certain they will make it out okay. He whispers comfort into her ear and feels her body relax; her leg wraps around his and her breath slows. He feels her full lips against his neck, and every hair on his body stands on end. Then they are kissing and he lets himself be consumed by the tumult of their passion for each other- he feels stronger than ever, braver, and energized. But something isn't right. She is crying. He pushes himself up on his forearms and tries to get a better look in the dark. What is she looking at? He turns to see the door open behind him. Alexa stands above them, reaching her hand down toward him._

His eyes opened slowly, now back in the real world. The events of the last two weeks rushed back to him. He sat up in bed, forcing himself to concentrate on the case- the reason he's in a hotel room in northern Michigan instead of his own bed. He got out of bed and pulled on some clothes just in time to hear a knock at the door. It was Ziva, a hot cup of coffee in hand. He gratefully accepted it and stepped aside, allowing her to come in.

"I just got off the phone with Tony," she said, sitting in the chair by the window. "he is investigating some leads on the murder. A security camera recorded a man who may be Seaman Rollins. Tony believes he is living in the area under an assumed identity. He said that Abby and McGee have determined that the remains in Rollins' grave had been submerged in water for some time before being planted in the house fire."  
Gibbs nodded. He knew most of that.  
She continued, "I spoke with four of Rollins' former classmates who still live in Paradise. None have heard from him or seen him since his last visit in June, 1999. One of those, a Richard Smith, is a former diving partner of Seaman Rollins. Smith is out on parole. In 2001, he plead guilty to stealing several artifacts from Great Lakes shipwrecks and selling them."  
Gibbs' eyes narrowed and Ziva could tell he was formulating a theory. "Let's pay Mr. Smith another visit."

* * *

"Look, I know what I did was wrong. I was just trying to make a few quick bucks. I haven't even dove a wreck since then- it's a condition of my parole." Gibbs and Ziva had found Smith at his job in Tahquamenon Falls State Park, where he was clearing brush.  
"When was the last time you saw Seaman Rollins?" Gibbs asked.  
"Like I told her," Smith said, gesturing to Ziva, "it was '99, when he was here for his dad's funeral."  
"You two go diving then?" Gibbs asked.  
Smith looked down.  
"Let me rephrase that," Gibbs said, leaning to within a few inches from the other man's nose. "Where did you and Rollins dive, and what did you take?"  
"Look," Smith sighed, "I don't want to speak ill of the dead. But yeah, we both took a few things from the Fitzgerald."  
"The Edmund Fitzgerald."  
"yeah."  
"The SS Edmund Fitzgerald is the largest ship to be lost in the Great Lakes. It sank in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. All 29 hands lost- none recovered." Ziva reported, reading from the notebook she held in front of her.  
"And what exactly did Rollins take?" Gibbs asked, growing impatient with someone who would not only defame an archeological site for money, but also disturb the graves of 29 men.  
"I don't know – I swear. Look, we both had a few things in our bags, but we didn't discuss it. Those were the rules."  
Ziva and Gibbs exchanged a look. The man was not lying. Gibbs turned and pulled out his cell phone, punching in the speed dial for Abby's lab.  
"Gibbs. Look, we haven't been able to ID the remains. You have to consider the possibility that we'll never-"  
"Abby, I need you to run the records against all men who served on the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, went down in Lake Superior in 1975."  
"Got it," came her pert reply, and he snapped his phone shut.  
"Are we going back to DC?" asked Ziva, now matching his stride beside him as they returned to the car.  
"Almost. I have one more stop."

* * *

Ziva waited in the car as Gibbs knocked on Alexa's door. He half expected that she wouldn't answer, that she'd be out in the barn at work on her boat. She did answer, however, and gestured for him to join her in the house.  
"Heading back to DC?" she asked, head tilted.  
Gibbs smiled, "How'd you know?"  
"Have you found Ed?"  
"Not yet. I need one more thing, Alexa."  
"Anything" she said, smiling in a way that let Gibbs know she really was up for anything.  
"Did your brother leave any of his diving equipment here? The last time he visited?"  
She nodded. "Yeah, there's quite a bit out back- wet suits, dry suits, tanks…"  
"I'm going to need to take it with me."  
"If it will help you find Ed… or clear his name. Absolutely." He turned to go get Ziva but stopped short as Alexa grasped his arm. "Jethro… you'll call me when you find anything, right?"  
Gibbs nodded.  
"And if you're ever back in town…" she smiled sadly and kissed him on the cheek. Gibbs returned the gesture and turned to go. He wasn't necessarily happy to leave Alexa, but he knew he had unfinished business in DC… in more ways than one. Until he resolved his feelings for Abby, he wasn't going to get involved with another woman. It wouldn't be fair to himself or the other woman. _Or Abby_ he thought to himself, entertaining the idea that she might feel the same way he did. Maybe recent events had awoken the same feelings in Abby as they had in him.

* * *

Gibbs and Ziva were halfway to the airport when Gibbs' phone rang. He answered quickly, hopeful that it was Abby. However, the familiar voice on the other end of the line belonged to Timothy McGee.  
"Boss, we made a match on the dental records. "James Pratt. Second Mate aboard the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. How in the heck did he get in a house fire in DC?"  
Gibbs smiled, "I'll tell you about it when we get there." He said. "Give me Tony."  
A moment later, Tony came on the line, "Boss! How's life in Paradise? You and Ziva do any skinny dipping in those Great Lakes?"  
Gibbs chose to ignore the question, as Tony certainly knew he would. "What have you found on our murder suspect?"  
"He's been using the name Marco Carr." Tony continued, not missing a beat, "McGeek is working on his bank records right now, but it looks like he's been dealing in stolen weapons for a few years. He must know we're on to him. Looks like he left his apartment in a hurry. But we'll find him. I've got a list of known associates; one of them is sure to crack."  
"Good work, DiNozzo. We'll be there tonight." Gibbs snapped the phone shut and looked over at Ziva. "Happy to be leaving Paradise?" he asked.  
She nodded. "Too many trees. However, I will miss the lake. This state definitely has some beautiful natural resources."  
Gibbs smiled as he took a deep breath of the lavender-scented air streaming in the open window. "Yup. But there's no place like home."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter IV/ Conclusion**

Gibbs had barely stepped through the elevator doors when he was greeted by DiNozzo. "Metro just picked up one of Rollins' associates- Albert Lewis. He's in interrogation. I saved him for you." Tony grinned as he matched Gibbs' brisk pace.

Gibbs stopped in the bullpen long enough to tell Ziva to brief McGee and Tony on what was going on. Then he wanted them to call it a night- they weren't going to find Rollins tonight and they probably had a long day tomorrow. Rollins had faked his own death four years ago, planting the partial remains he stole from the shipwreck site in the fire so it would like he was dead. With no close family, no one asked any questions. Since then, he'd been living under an assumed identity and selling stolen weapons. He stayed below radar until last week, when something went wrong and an officer was killed – Rollins' fingerprint was found at the scene, so he must have been there. Gibbs was willing to bet that Rollins left town right after the murder; after all, he'd been smart enough to get away with it this long. Hopefully this Albert Lewis, or one of Rollins' other associates, would lead NCIS right to him.

Gibbs could tell Lewis wasn't sharing all he knew, but he at least gave them some good leads on where to find Rollins/Carr. Of course, he admitted no involvement with the arms thefts himself, and no knowledge of Carr's former identity, but said he knew some buyers of stolen weapons and was willing to share their names. After a few hours of questioning, Gibbs knew he could hold him no longer. He stepped out into the hall as DiNozzo came out of observation. "Get the names. Then escort him out" Gibbs told him. Just then, he noticed Abby's hesitant face peeking over Tony's shoulder. Gibbs went in the observation room and shut the door behind him, giving the two some privacy. He took a deep breath.

"Welcome back," said Abby. She almost gave him a hug but stopped herself. Gibbs had once said her hugs were always welcome, but now she wasn't sure.  
"Why are you still here? Everyone else has gone home." He asked. She didn't answer, just returned his gaze. "Something bothering you?" he asked.  
She started to say no, to brush it off, but she knew she couldn't lie to Gibbs. She was a terrible liar anyway, but especially when it came to him. Besides, hadn't they been playing this game long enough?  
"I feel like there's something bothering _you_, Gibbs," she said.  
Gibbs let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Yeah, I guess there is."  
"Look, if this is about the whole kidnapping thing- you can stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault I was there. I'm the one who showed up at your house uninvited. There's no way-"  
"That's not what I'm blaming myself for, Abby."  
"It's not? Then… what? Because this definitely started then. You've been avoiding me, Gibbs. You've been acting remote and distant, and well... it sucks."  
He nodded. "You're right Abs. I haven't been fair to you. I wasn't fair to you when we were trapped in that freezer, and I'm not being fair to you now."  
Abby cocked her head to one side, eyes narrowed. "In the freezer? Gibbs, you're the one who got me through that! If it hadn't been for you I would have hyperventilated myself to oblivion."  
Gibbs didn't respond with words, just a penetrating stare into her green eyes.  
"The kiss? Gibbs, why do you think that was unfair?"  
He looked decidedly uncomfortable but Abby wouldn't let him turn away. She put her hands on his shoulders and drew herself closer to his face.  
"It was unfair to you, Abs, because you were… scared, and vulnerable. I never should have done that. I'm sorry."  
"You're sorry?" she asked. He nodded, but she could feel something more in the way he looked at her. She looked down, unsure of what to say – this was the man who made it a rule to never apologize, and he was _sorry_? Gibbs saw Tony through the glass, leading Lewis out of interrogation. He opened the door and followed, but just as they got into the hall, Abby grabbed his arm.  
"Gibbs!"  
"Yeah, Abby," he said, turning. Tony and Lewis continued down the hall. Abby moved to stand between them- she wasn't going to let him run away again.  
"I'm not." She said.  
"You're not what?"  
"I'm not sorry."  
They both knew they could say no more then and there, but they stood a moment in silence. Gibbs reached out and closed his hand over her wrist, feeling her pulse through the soft skin and sending shivers down her back. "Me neither." He said.

After Tony escorted Albert Lewis down to security, he returned to his desk to finish some things up. He was surprised to see the other two agents hadn't left yet. "I thought the boss sent you two home?"  
"I'm leaving right now" said Ziva, hoisting her backpack over one shoulder.  
"Thanks for the Petosky stone, Ziva" called McGee from his desk.  
"Petosky stone?" Tony strained his neck to get a better look at the paperweight on McGee's desk.  
"Yeah, it's a fossilized rock common to the Great Lakes." he held it up "Neat, huh?"  
Tony turned to Ziva, "where's my rock?"  
"Oh I got you a different sort of souvenir. It's being sent directly to your apartment." she said over her shoulder with a wink, still headed for the elevator.  
Tony leaned back in his chair. "No probie-stone for me" he said, grinning. He was trying to imagine what his gift could be... but he hoped it was lacy and had Ziva in it.

* * *

Abby was not surprised to hear a knock on her door late that night; she knew her conversation with Gibbs wasn't over and she knew it was one he'd want to have outside of work. She answered the door and motioned for him to come in. He handed her a cold Caf-Pow: the perfect drink for day or night.  
She smiled and turned to face him. "Thanks. I'm glad you're here, Gibbs. I've wanted to talk about this for a while, but..."  
He nodded. "Abby," he said, "I want you to be sure. I have to know you're _sure_."  
"I know, Gibbs. And I am sure. I was sure then, that awful day, when I thought we were- I mean, we could have..." she shuddered and he wrapped an arm around her. "But the fact is, that all made me realize that you're the one I want to be with." There. She had said it. She was glad her head was resting on his shoulder, glad she wasn't looking in his eyes. What if he said no? What if he cited rule #13?  
But he didn't. "Abs, you know I feel the same way."  
"Do I know?" she asked "Ziva said you went on a date with the woman in Michigan." She suddenly felt stupid- it sounded so juvenile and gossipy out loud.  
Gibbs exhaled. "You're right. But that just made me face my feelings. I've been disappointed in myself for the way I treated you. I should have told you sooner. I shouldn't have waited until-"  
"Gibbs." Abby said, spinning to face him. "You do not need to be perfect all the time. You don't need to always be the hero."  
Gibbs smiled. "When I look at you," he said, "I want to be the hero. To deserve _you_."  
Her eyes welled with tears and she cupped his face in her hands. "Gibbs, you are a hero. I love you."  
Gibbs couldn't stand to see her cry- he bent his head down and kissed her softly on the mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck and the kiss deepened. He scooped her up and carried her to the nearby couch, sitting down with her on his lap. Was he a hero? Maybe. But at that moment, with Abigail Scuito in his arms, the only thing he wanted to be was sure. And he was.

***The End***


End file.
